important info

Kaitlin'smom wrote: anyone know if this is true????


Interesting bit of information! Never thought about this before!



You would think the Dealerships would... (Nope. they just want to "serve
the customer" and make a buck.) Seems that car thieves have found yet another
way to steal your car or truck without any effort at all. The car thieves peer
through the windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN # from the label on
the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key based on
the VIN #. I didn't believe this e-mail, so I called a friend at Chrysler Dodge
and pretended I had lost my keys. They told me to just bring in the VIN and
they would cut me one on the spot, and I could order the keyless device if I
wanted.


The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN #,
and collect payment from the thief who will return to your car. He doesn't have
to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All
he has to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local
Chop Shop with your vehicle. You don't believe it? It IS that easy.

To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some tape (electrical tape,
duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN Metal Label located on the dash board.
By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can cover it so it can't be viewed
through the windshield by a car thief. I urge you to forward this to your
friends before some other car thief steals another car or truck. I slipped
a 3 x 5 card over the VIN on my vehicles...

Send this on! (The car you save might be your own)!

mom2my2cuties replied: You also have to have the title, and/or paperwork for the car and a drivers license matching the name on the car.

We had to do this a while ago when we let someone borrow our car and they wouldn't return it.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
to get a key made?

MyBabeMaddie replied: I had to get a duplicate when I locked both sets of keys in the car the only reason I didn't need anything was because I knew the salesman! Thats scarY! What is this world coming to?

mom2my2cuties replied:
Yup. Without it they wouldn't let us get duplicate keys made solely by knowing our vin number. You actually have to prove that you legally have permission to be requesting keys made for that car.

now you can go ANYWHERE and get a duplicate key made no big deal. But if you want one made at a dealership (and any dealership which sells that kind of car can do it usually) you have to have some sort of proof that you are the rightful owner of that vehicle. And it goes without saying there are lax and uncaring people in this world who have no problem just giving the keys out, however, I believe the dealership would err on the side of caution most of the time.

BAC'sMom replied: Thanks for the info.

That is crazy

luvmykids replied: When I worked at a dealership it was a PITA to have a key made, they were very careful to do everything they possibly could to ensure it was the rightful owner.

C&K*s Mommie replied: Part of this email is false
Snopes has a write up about this

Safe to say that most dealerships would require more than a VIN (like some members have mentioned) to have a duplicate key made

Kaitlin'smom replied: I was hoping so. Kinda figured it anyway. thanks I knew I could count on you all.

holley79 replied: I have locked my keys in my truck and had DH take me to the dealership. Had my VIN with me and no ID and got a key cut for 10.00. They never asked me for any type of ID which was a good thing because it was also locked in the truck. We were talking about that here at work because we had two people do that here and stole three vehicles.

3_call_me_mama replied: I think it depends on the dealership. We needed keys made to our van and we jsut called up a chrysler dealer, gave them teh VIN number and they made us keys. $10 later we had keys in hand. Also you can order them on ebay as well. (the key fob things) and you just program them to the car. So while it may not happen everywhere, part of it is true and very scary. (We do have the VIN number hidden under tape in our car not because of this email thing, but because of a reccomendation made to us by a police officer friend that suggested we do so).
Still good info to know and be careful about

CantWait replied: They did a story on the news about a year back on this in Edmonton. Turns out it's more true then not, however it is very hard.

mom2my2cuties replied: I do think it might be more likely (at least in the US) for it to happen at dealerships like Snoops said - because at the mall, resturants, etc there is no gaurantee that the car will be there when you return. I have also always wondered about some valet parking places since you hear so often how the cars are used for 'joy riding' and such. I did learn a few years ago, that there are ways to also LEGALLY (and you can't get in trouble for it at all) steal a car, at least in the state of Texas. Which I think is really scary.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Nope it's not that easy

And most of the keys that are made nowadays have chips in them, have to be ordered and are VERY expensive. At least on the more expensive (steal worthy) cars. By the time all of that took place the car would be gone (that the thief was trying to steal) and whose gonna go thru that trouble?